Meaty Smoked BBQ Beans Recipe

Last Updated on August 5, 2024 by Carne Diem

Side Dishes

Origin: North American, American

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Smoky, Meaty BBQ Beans: The Perfect Side Dish for Barbecue

Let's talk beans, people! Not just any beans, though. We're diving into the world of smoky, meaty BBQ beans – the ultimate side dish that can easily steal the show (and maybe even become a main course!). This barbecue beans recipe is bursting with flavor, thanks to a combination of bacon pieces, molasses, tangy BBQ sauce, smoked meats and of course, a good dose of smoky goodness. So fire up your smoker or pellet grill and get ready to make some of the best beans ever.

Here's why you'll love these easy baked beans:

• Simple ingredients: This recipe uses mostly pantry staples you probably already have on hand. No need for a fancy trip to the grocery store!
• Versatility: These beans are perfect alongside anything you'd throw on the grill – burgers, ribs, pulled pork – you name it! They're also delicious served over rice for a complete meal.
• Smoke flavor: Whether you have a pellet smoker, a charcoal smoker, or even just a bag of wood chips, you can infuse these beans with that irresistible smoky taste. 

Now, let's get cooking!

Gather your ingredients for the barbecue beans:

4-6 Slices of Thick Cut Bacon: Smoked bacon works especially well in the BBQ beans.

1 Medium Yellow Onion:  We prefer the sweetness of yellow onions, but feel free to substitute red onion or white onion if you prefer.

2 Bell Peppers: We typically do 2 different colored pepper to give the beans a little more color, but you can use any color bell pepper that you choose.

1-2 Jalapenos: Adjust the number of jalapenos to taste, but we find 1-2 works well to add some heat to the beans without making them overly spicy. Remove the seeds and pith from the jalapenos before dicing.

2-3 Garlic Cloves: Minced or finely chopped.

1 (28-ounce) Can Baked Beans: We prefer Bush's Baked beans but feel free to use your favorite brand.

1 (15-ounce) Can Ranch Style Beans: We love the extra bit of flavor that the Ranch style beans give the recipe. If you don't like Ranch beans, you can substitute red kidney beans.

1 (15-ounce) Can Seasoned Black Beans: Use your favorite brand but drain and rinse the black beans before adding to the dish. The other canned beans do not need to be rinsed.

1 Cup Your Favorite BBQ Sauce (or use your own sauce recipe!):  We typically use a smoky and spicy barbecue sauce in our smoked beans, but you should use your favorite. Some of our favorites include Head Country Hot and Spicy and LC's Hot BBQ Sauce.

¼ Cup Molasses: Molasses adds some sweetness to the beans. You can use regular molasses or blackstrap molasses. Light or dark molasses will be sweeter than blackstrap molasses which can take on some bitter notes as well.

1 Cup Chicken Broth: Chicken broth adds a little liquid base to the beans. Vegetable broth or beef broth can be used if desired.

Seasonings and Spices: You will want 1 teaspoon each of cumin, coriander, ancho or other chili powder, and salt, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper.

Smoked Meats: We typically mix about 1-1.5 cups of BBQ meat to the meaty BBQ beans. We typically use whatever we are cooking at the time or have leftover. Pork butt, beef brisket, or beef or pork belly burnt ends all are outstanding in the smoked barbecue beans.

Optional: Optional ingredients for the smoked BBQ pit beans can include brown sugar for extra sweetness, apple cider vinegar for extra tanginess, or chopped tomatoes for a little extra acidity and depth of flavor.

Making Smoked BBQ Beans

Make sure your veggies are prepped by dicing the peppers and onions and measuring out your ingredients.

Fry the bacon: 

In a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy or to your preferred doneness. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve the bacon fat in the pan.

Sauté the veggies: 

Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and jalapenos to the pan with the bacon fat. Cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic for the last minute of cooking. Remove the pan from the heat.

Assemble the bean mixture: 

In a large mixing bowl, baking dish or foil pan, combine the beans, cooked veggies, chopped bacon, BBQ sauce, chicken stock, molasses, seasonings, and black pepper. Stir well to combine.

Smoking the BBQ beans

If you have a smoker, preheat it to 225°F (107°C). Transfer the bean mixture to a disposable aluminum pan or cast-iron skillet suitable for smoking. If you have chopped meat to add you can do it now, or it can be added to the BBQ beans at the end of the smoke if the meat is cooking at the same time.

Smoke for 1-3 hours depending on how smoky you want the beans to be, or until the beans are thickened and flavorful. The longer you cook the beans the thicker and smokier they will get. Stir the beans about every 30 minutes while cooking.

Serve and enjoy! Garnish your delicious smoked BBQ beans with some additional crispy bacon crumbles and enjoy them as a side dish or even a main course over rice.

Serve the smoked meaty barbecue beans with your favorite BBQ dishes like brisket, pulled pork, ribs, or smoked chicken. This recipe is a crowd-pleaser for sure. It's perfect for your next barbecue, potluck, or even a simple weeknight dinner.

What to do with leftover BBQ Beans

Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

To reheat warm the beans in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated through, or they can be rewarmed on the stovetop in a pan.

Looking for more of the best barbecue side dishes? Be sure to try some of our other great BBQ side dish recipes:

• Kansas City Style Cheesy Corn and Smoked Ham Bake
• Lexington Style Red Coleslaw
• Jalapeno Coleslaw With Bacon Aioli
• Smoked Hatch Chile Mac and Cheese
• Smoked Au Gratin Potatoes
• Fried Mashed Potato Cakes with Herbes de Provence Butter
• Spanish Inspired Pasta Salad
• Skillet Cornbread with Green Chiles and Toasted Cumin
• Smoked Jalapeno Twice Baked Potatoes

Tips and Tricks:

• For a thicker bean mixture, mash some of the beans with a potato masher before adding them to the pot.
• Want a little sweetness? Add a tablespoon of maple syrup to the bean mixture or brown sugar.
• Like things spicy? Add additional chopped jalapeño pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce to the mix.
• Leftovers? These beans taste even better the next day!

Frequently Asked Questions About Making Smoked BBQ Beans

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